After the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, Sen. Chris Murphy said Tuesday he’ll be reintroducing legislation to strengthen gun background checks, but acknowledged the bill faces long odds in the Republican-controlled Congress.

“We’re going to press hard for change,” Murphy said at a Washington, D.C., news conference with SenateDemocrats and representatives from the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. “My belief … is that change is likely to come from outside this building.”

Democrats cite public opinion polls that show overwhelming support for universal background checks including a national Quinnipiac Poll in June that found 94 percent of voters supported background checks on all gun sales. But the measure has failed to get enough Republican support to pass either the Senate or the House.

“I have lobbied in every different and creative way that I can,” said Murphy, who last year mounted a near 15-hour filibuster that led to a vote on four gun control measures, all of which failed. “But ultimately if members of the United States Senate or House of Representatives continue to ignore the 90 percent of their constituents who want change, they ultimately are going to have to pay a political price for that.”

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who joined Murphy at the news conference, said he planned to introduce narrow legislation to close the so-called Charleston loophole, which allows a gun dealer to sell a firearm after three business days even if an FBI background check is incomplete. Dylann Roof, the gunman who killed nine people at a Charleston, S.C., church in 2015, purchased the gun he used in the attack despite being ineligible because a background check wasn’t finished.

“Closing these loopholes one by one, making our laws effective one by one, is a way to make our nation safer,” Blumenthal said.

Blumenthal said the argument that the legislation Democrats are pushing for wouldn’t have prevented the shooting that claimed 59 lives in Las Vegas Sunday night is “absurd” and that Congress has a moral imperative to act.

“We must take steps to stop gun violence and we know background checks will do it,” he said. “We have it in our power to save lives. It’s that simple.”

Early Tuesday, Rep. Elizabeth Esty, vice chair of the Congressional Gun Violence Task Force, addressed reporters with her colleagues. House Democrats have been particularly frustrated because, unlike the Senate, the House has not held a vote on any gun control measures since Sandy Hook.

“When is it going to be time?” she asked.

Esty said her Democratic colleagues approached House Speaker Paul Ryan asking to form a select committee on gun violence prevention to work on crafting a bipartisan bill.

“The answer was no,” she said.

Republicans have largely resisted to engage in a debate on gun control in the immediate aftermath of the Las Vegas shooting. House Speaker Paul Ryan told reporters Tuesday that mass shootings are often accompanied by a diagnosis of mental illness.

“Mental health reform is the critical ingredient to making sure that we can try and prevent some of these things that have happened in the past,” he said.

Before leaving for Puerto Rico Tuesday morning President Donald Trump told reporters that “we’ll be talking about gun laws as time goes on.”

Monday night, to protest Congress’ inaction on gun control, Rep. Jim Himes left the House floor during a moment of silence for the Las Vegas. He did the same thing last year during a moment of silence for the 49 men and women killed in a mass shooting at an Orlando nightclub.

“Some called me disrespectful. Some called me worse. But I believe that we best honor the victims of brutal violence by preventing similar tragedy from happening again,” Himes wrote in an opinion piece published by The Washington Post Tuesday. “So I declined to participate in Monday night’s empty ceremony, as well.”

Ariella Botts, 5, of East Hartford, was born with a severe muscular disorder called nemaline myopathy that requires round the clock care from a visiting nurse. Her mother, Rachel, talks about how the service is threatened by a state cutback that would lower the reimbursement from Medicaid. Without the visiting nurses, like Livia Brown, seen caring for Ariella, she would be in a medical foster home or a hospital or long-term care facility, probably at higher cost.

Ariella Botts, 5, of East Hartford, was born with a severe muscular disorder called nemaline myopathy that requires round the clock care from a visiting nurse. Her mother, Rachel, talks about how the service is threatened by a state cutback that would lower the reimbursement from Medicaid. Without the visiting nurses, like Livia Brown, seen caring for Ariella, she would be in a medical foster home or a hospital or long-term care facility, probably at higher cost.

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Ariella Botts, 5, of East Hartford, was born with a severe muscular disorder called nemaline myopathy that requires round the clock care from a visiting nurse. Her mother, Rachel, talks about how the service is threatened by a state cutback that would lower the reimbursement from Medicaid. Without the visiting nurses, like Livia Brown, seen caring for Ariella, she would be in a medical foster home or a hospital or long-term care facility, probably at higher cost.

Ariella Botts, 5, of East Hartford, was born with a severe muscular disorder called nemaline myopathy that requires round the clock care from a visiting nurse. Her mother, Rachel, talks about how the service is threatened by a state cutback that would lower the reimbursement from Medicaid. Without the visiting nurses, like Livia Brown, seen caring for Ariella, she would be in a medical foster home or a hospital or long-term care facility, probably at higher cost.

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After 24 years in the US, Franklin and Gioconda Ramos must decide between returning to Ecuador or seeking sanctuary in Connecticut. Here, Franklin Ramos describes a previous instance of detainment based on his immigration status.

After 24 years in the US, Franklin and Gioconda Ramos must decide between returning to Ecuador or seeking sanctuary in Connecticut. Here, Franklin Ramos describes a previous instance of detainment based on his immigration status.

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Betsy Gara, Executive Director of COST, talks about her meeting with Dannel Malloy to discuss budget burdens for municipalities.

Betsy Gara, Executive Director of COST, talks about her meeting with Dannel Malloy to discuss budget burdens for municipalities.

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Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen has filed or joined a growing number of lawsuits against the Trump Adminsitration

Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen has filed or joined a growing number of lawsuits against the Trump Adminsitration

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President Donald Trump is lashing out at Sen. Richard Blumenthal, calling him a “phony Vietnam con artist” shortly after the Democratic lawmaker said the investigation into Russian meddling in the election and possible collusion by the Trump campaign must be pursued. (August 7, 2017) (Sign up for our free video newsletter here http://bit.ly/2n6VKPR)

President Donald Trump is lashing out at Sen. Richard Blumenthal, calling him a “phony Vietnam con artist” shortly after the Democratic lawmaker said the investigation into Russian meddling in the election and possible collusion by the Trump campaign must be pursued. (August 7, 2017) (Sign up for our free video newsletter here http://bit.ly/2n6VKPR)